Coupling for toy railway cars



A ril 29, 1952 H. L/JOYCE COUPLING FOR TOY RAILWAY CARS 2 SHEETS-SHEET 1 Filed April 7, 1950 April 29, 1952 JOYCE 2,594,444

COUPLING FOR TOY RAILWAY CARS Filed April 7, 1950 2 SHEETS--SHEET 2 Patented Apr. 29, 1952 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE COUPLING FOR TOY RAILWAY CARS Harold L. Joyce, Hartford City, Ind. Application April 7, 1950, Serial No. 154,595

9 Claims. 1

The invention relates generally to couplers, and more particularly to a coupler for miniature or model railroad cars.

While the present invention may be utilized in connection with miniature or model railroad cars of various scales, it is particularly designed for use on miniature or model railroad cars such as those employing a scale of one-tenth of an .inch to one foot. Thus cars constructed to such scale will be very small compared with the larger model railroads employing a larger scale. For example, a forty foot box car constructed at a scale of one-tenth of an inch to a foot is approximately four inches long and utilizes a track gauge of less than one-half inch, and it will be apparent that, with such a small scale, the coupler parts are of necessity very small, thereby raising problems not present in larger scale devices.

The invention has among its objects the production of a miniature railroad car coupler suitable for use on model railway cars employing a scale as small as one-tenth of an inch, the size of which coupler is in proportion with, thescale employed to present a realistic appearance, and

which will be very efiicient in operationf Another object of the invention is the production of such a coupler which may be automatically coupled or uncoupled without manual actuation.

A further object of the invention is the production of a miniature coupler, having the above features. which is so designed that the cars will remain securely coupled when under tension and until uncoupling thereof is desired.

A further object of the invention is the production of such a coupler which, if desired, may be readily constructed from sheet metal, employing stamping operations in its manufacture, and which is simple in construction, inexpensive and very durable for the purpose intended,

Many other objects and advantages of the construction herein shown and described will be obvious to those skilled in the art from the disclosure herein" given.

To this end my invention consists in the novel construction; arrangement, and combination of parts herein shown and described, and more particularly pointed out in the claims.

In the drawings, wherein like reference characters indicate like or corresponding parts:

Fig. 1 is a section through portions of two coupiers and railroad cars associated therewith illustrating the couplers in coupled position;

Fig. 2 is a sectional view taken approximately on the line 2-2 of Fig. l;

Fig. 3 is a sectional view similar to Fig. 1 illustrating a pair of couplers in uncoupled position;

Fig. 4 is a sectional view of the coupler taken approximately on the line 4-4 of Fig. 1;

Fig. 5 is a perspective view of the latch member employed;

Fig. 6 is a perspective view of the coupler body; and a Fig. 7 is a perspective view of the mounting member. I

Referring to Figs. 1, 2, and 3, the" couplers therein illustrated. are of the semiautomatictype adaptedto automatically couple when the cars carrying the sameare brought into abutting or coupling relation, and may be uncoupled by use of a suitable ramp mounted on the track between the rails, such uncoupling being performed by stopping the cars with the couplers to be uncoupled engaged with the ramp, and by proper movement of the cars relative to the ramp, thecouplers will be automatically moved into uncoupling position, whereby the c'arsmay be separated. Ramps of various types for uncoupling, model railroad cars have been employedin the past; consequently, suchbroad combination of a ramp and couplers actuated thereby does not form part of .the present invention;

Referring to the drawings, and particularly to Figs. 1, 2, and 3, 1 indicates generally a car body, as for example, a freight car adapted to be coupled to a second car, indicated generally by the numeral 2, only portions of the cars being illustrated, the cars being provided with respective trucks 3 carrying wheels 4 adapted to run on a suitable track structure, indicated generally by the numeral 5, having rails 6, only one of which is illustrated in Fig. 1, connected by a suitable tie structure I. The cars l and 2 are illustrated as being connected by a pair of couplers indicated by the numerals Illa and Ifib carried by the respective cars I and 2.

In the embodiment of the invention illustrated, each coupler comprises a body member I l formed from light sheet metal and bent at opposite sides to provide a channel-shaped structure having 0ppositely disposed side walls l2 connected by an intermediate portion or web l3, with the side 3 matcly an angle of forty-five degrees with respect to the axis of the coupler and car. As clearly illustrated in Fig. 6, the extensions I4 and I5 are of less height than the side Walls I2 adjacent the web I3. The latter is also provided with an aperture 2I therein adapted to receive a mounting screw, or the like.

Adapted to nest in the body member II is a latch member, indicated generally by the numeral 22, which, in the embodiment illustrated, is likewise formed from sheet material and bent to provide a pair of oppositely disposed side walls 23 and 24 connected by an intermediate portion 25. Both of the walls 23 and 24 "are extended at one end beyond the intermediateportion 25, as indicated at 2B, and are each provided with rounded ends 21. The opposite end'of the side wall 23 is extended beyond the corresponding end of the side wall 24, as-indicated at 28, with the free end thereofterminated in an invertedhook portion 29 having a substantially vertical rear edge 30 and aninclined forward edge 3|. The horizontally extending portion 28 is offset upwardly by means of the connecting portion 32 from the side wall 23, whereby the latch member 22 may be nested within the member I I, with the intermediate portion 25 of'the latch member resting upon the'connecting web I3 of the body, and the portion 28 of the latch member rested upon the latch bar IT, as clearly illustrated in Fig. 1. The member '25 is also 'providedwith a downwardly extending, slightly'curved actuating arm 33 extending downwardly below the latch bar when the members are in their assembled positions. The forward edge of the portion 32 opposite .the edge 30 of the hook portion termihates atits lower edge inaslightly curved shoulder'34, with the vertical length'of the edge 34 being approximately equal "to-the height of the .latch bar I'I whereby-the latch member 22, when at its. maximum outward position with" respect to.

than the distance between the inner faces of the sidewalls I2 of the body member,-sothatwhen assembled, the latch -member is free to move slightly in a longitudinal direction, as well as upwardly, but is restricted as to lateral movement.

The body is mounted on the car body by means of a mounting member, indicated generally bythe numeral 35, which, in the-embodiment illustrated, is constructed of sheet material and formed to provide a pair "of oppositely disposed side walls 36- connected by-an'intermediate portion 31, the latter having an opening 38 therein for the reception of a mounting screw, or other means, which likewise passes through the aperture 2I in-the body I2.

The couplers are each mounted on a respective car by means of a single screw 39 passing through the openings 38 and 2| and, screwed into-the body I or 2,'as the case may be, the screws 39, in the present instance, being illustrated as wood screws. The height of the side walls 36 of the mounting member 35 is slightly greater than-the-height of the side walls I2 of the bodymember to provide a clearance between the top edges of the body member and the under surface of the car body, as is clearly shown in Figs.1, 3, and4, and the distance between the inner faces of the side walls 36 of the mounting member is greater than the 'pler.

distance between the outer faces of the side walls I2 of the body member, so that when the coupler is mounted on a car, the body member is free to pivot slightly about the screw 39 but is axially and vertically substantially fixed as the mounting member 35 is substantially rigidly attached to the car body.

It will be noted that the latch member 25 is, in effect, floating in body member I as no connecting means is employed between the latch member and the body member, disengagement or separation between the two being prevented by the configuration and proportion of the respec tiveelements as well as a portion of the car body. The latch members will, when idle, assume a position similar to that illustrated in Fig. 1, although free to move upwardly as well as slightlyaxially into a position such as that illustrated in Fig. 3 upon the application of suitable forces thereto.

Referring to Fig. 2, it will be apparent'that. when two cars are placed end to end, the position of the hooks 29 on the latch member and the angularly extending portions I8 of the body member will be reversed and thus positioned on opposite sides of the adjacent couplers, so that, as viewed in Fig. 2, the portion I8 of the coupler Illa will be adjacent the hook 29 of the coupler IIlb,'and the portion I8 of the latter will be adjacent the hook 29 of the coupler IIa, whereby the latch members will not interfere with one another. The two couplers Illa and [0b may be readily coupled by moving one of the cars toward the other car'and, as the two latch bars I! ap proach one another, they will each engage the inclined portion 32 of the latch member on the other coupler, camming the hook portions upwardly until the hook portion of each latch member drops behind the latch bar on the other cou- If the body members of the two coupler are'not properly aligned, the angularly disposed portions I8 on the body members will tend to 'cam the latter-into alignment, and it might be mentioned that the pivotal movement of the body member relative to the mounting member 35 and axial play in the coupler is sufficient to permit 'a'string of cars to take any curve which would 'be employed in-a model railroad of such scale.

It will be noted that when the coupler is under compression, as when a train load of cars are being backed up, the latch bars I'I will engage one another with the compression stresses being transmitted from one latch bar to the other. and due to the width of the latch bar, such compression forces are applied substantially axially with respect to the cars, so that there is little, if any, tendency for the cars to jackknife.

Referring to'Fig. 1, the couplers illustrated are shown in operative positions with tension applied to the couplers, as for example, assuming the cars are in motion with car 2 pulling car I. Under such conditions the latch bar I! of the coupler Iflb is'engaged by the hook portion 29 of the coupler I Ila, and in like manner the hook portion 29 of the coupler IIlb is engaged with the latch bar I I of the coupler Iflb, whereby both latch members are fully extended with respect to their respective body members, and the vertical edge 34 butts against the inner face of the latch bar I'I carried by the body member of that coupler. thus positioning the shoulder 34' below the lower edge of such'latch bar, and as long as the latch members are under tension, vertical movement of the latch member relative to its latch bar is restricted by the shoulder 34'. The latch member is therefore locked in position when tension loads are applied thereto and cannot be raised to uncoupling position until the tension load is removed- 7 The couplers may be uncoupled by means of a ramp, indicated generally by the numeral 4 I, portions of which are illustrated in Figs. 1, 2, and 3. The ramp illustrated comprises a strip 42 of stiff material, as for example, suitable plastic, which is mounted on the track between the rails by means of a nail or brad 43, or other suitable means, and mounted thereon is a flexible strip 44, which likewise may be of plastic and secured at its ends to the strip 42 by the nail 43. The ends of the strip 44 may be secured to the strip 42 by additional securing means, as for example, a short length of adhesive tape 45 extending across the ends of the respective strips, and the opposite ends of the strips 42 and 44 may be secured to the track by a similar manner. The strip 44 is greater in length than the strip 42, and as the ends of both strips are secured together at their corresponding ends, the strip 44 is buckled upwardly, as illustrated in Fig. l, a suflicient distance to engage the actuating arms 33 of the couplers as the cars move over the ramp. However, assuming that the cars are being drawn over the ramp, each pair of co-operating couplers is under tension and thus locked in coupling position, so that the strip 44 will be depressed as the arms 33 pass over the same without uncoupling of the cars. When it is desired to uncouple a pair of cars, the latter are stopped with their interlocked couplers positioned directly above the ramp and, if the cars have been drawn on to the ramp, backed up slightly to remove tension stresses on the latch members, bringing the latch bars I! closely adjacent .one'another, as illustrated in Fig. 3. When the couplers are in such position, the resiliency of the strip 44 is sufiicient to raise the latch members into the position illustrated in Fig. 3, theelimination of the tension load on the latch members allowing the shoulders 34 to be disengaged from the lower edge of their respective latch bars. The cars may. then be separated as both latch members have been raised out of engagement with the latch bar on the other car. To recouple the cars, both cars are merely pushed off of the ramp and, as the actuating arms 33 leave the ramp, the latch members are permitted to resume their coupling positions.

It will be noted from the above description that the construction described provides a very efficient coupler which is locked in coupling relation during movement of the cars in a direction such that the coupler is tensioned, but which may be automatically uncoupled when desired by suitably manipulating the train and cars associated therewith with respect to the ramp 4!, the latter, however, being inoperative to uncouple the cars when the coupler is under tension. Likewise, as the latch member 22 is merely floating in the body member, it may be readily moved into uncoupling position when desired by means of the ramp 4i without sticking, binding, or the like, the leverage resulting from pivoting of the latch members adjacent the ends 21 thereof facilitating and as suring quick efficient action, without sticking or binding, by the use of a light flexible strip or ramp.

As previously mentioned, the couplers herein shown and described have been employed on railroad cars constructed to the scale of one-tenth of "an inch to one foot. Consequently, the figures in the drawings: are much enlarged, the scale being approximately six to one. For example, the distance between the axis of the screws 39, as il lustrated in Fig. 3,. on the actual couplers is approximately nine-sixteenths of an inch, and the height of the latch bars l1 approximately onesixteenth of an inch, which gives some indication of the smallness of size to which the couplers may be built and operated, although the invention in larger sizes may be readily employed for larger scale model railroad equipment.

Having thus described my invention, it is obvious that various immaterial modifications may be made in the same without departing from the spirit of my invention; hence, I do not wish to be understood as limiting myself of the exact form, construction, arrangement, and combination of parts herein shown and described or uses mentioned.

What I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

1. In a miniature railroad car coupler, a coupler structure having a transversely extending latch bar, a latch member movably related to said bar, means on the latch member adapted to engage the latch bar of a co-operating coupler positioned adjacent said first latch bar, means on the latch member engageable with the first latch bar when the latch member is under a tension load operative to retain the latch member in coupling position, and. means carried by said latch member for moving the latter, when desired, into an uncoupling position.

2. In a miniature railroad car coupler, a coupler body member, means for mounting said body member adjacent one end thereof, and a car whereby said body is relatively fixed in a longitudinal direction with respect to such a car, but is free to partially rotate relative thereto, said body having a transversely extending latch bar adjacent its free end adapted to be engaged by a portion of a co-operating coupler, a latch member movable relative to said body member, means on said latch member for releasably engaging a portion of such a co-operating coupler, co operating means on said latchmember and latch bar engageable with one another when said latch member is under a tension load to maintain the latter in coupling position, and further means on said latch member for moving the latter, when desired, to an uncoupling position in the absence of a tension load thereon.

3. In a miniature'railroad car coupler, a coupler structure having a transversely extending latch bar, a latch member movably related to said bar, means on the latter adapted to engage a latch bar of a co-operating coupler positioned adjacent said first latch bar, a projection on the latch member adapted 'to underlie and engage the first latch bar when the latch member is under a tension load operative to retain the latch member in coupling position, and means carried by said latch member for moving the latter, when desired, into an uncoupling position.

4. In a miniature railroad car coupler, a coupler body formed to provide a channel-shaped structure, the side walls of which are extended at one end beyond the connecting web, a laterally extending latch bar positioned between the extended portions of said side walls, the connecting web of said member havin an aperture therein, a latch member having oppositely disposed side walls freely supported within said body with one of said side walls being extended beyond the ad- '-jacent end of the other side Wall and terminating 7 at its free end "in an invertedthook'lportion',said latch member being movablypositioned. in: said body with the hook. portionextending' overrsaid latch her, said latchmember having a; shoulder engageable with the lowerv edgerof said latch bar whenithelatch member is moved in av direction toward said latch bar, a downwardly extending arm carried by said latch member operative to transmit upward. forces thereon to said latch structure, the side walls of which are extended at one end beyond the connecting web, with one of saidlsidesbeing bent to form/a laterally extending latch oar positionedbetween the extended portions'of said side walls, a latch memher having oppositely disposed side walls extended beyond the connection portion therebetween, one endof' one-of the side Walls of said latch member being extended beyond the adjacent end of the otherside wall and terminatin at its free end in an inverted hook portion, said latch member being freely supported in said body with the hook portion extending over said latch bar, said latch member having a shoulder engageablewith the lower edge of saidlatch bar when the latch member is moved in a direction toward said latch bar, and a downwardly extending armcarried by said latch member operative to transmit upward forces thereon to said latch memberior raising the latter to an uncoupling position.

6. In a miniature railroad car coupler, a cou pler'body formed from sheet material and bent to provide a channel-shaped structure, the side walls of which are extended at one end beyond the connecting web, one side wall extension being bent transversely intermediate its end toward the other side wall extension to form a latorally extending latchbar, the free end of the opposite'side wall extension being bent outwardly at substantially the juncture of the latch bar therewith, the connecting web of said member having an aperture therein, a latch member formed of sheet material having oppositely disposed side walls, both walls at one end beingextended beyond the connecting portion therebetween, the other end of one of said side walls being-extended beyond the adjacent end of the other side wall and terminating at its free end in an inverted hook portion, said latch member being movably positioned in said body with the opposed extended portions of the latch member disposed adjacent said aperture, and the hook portion extending over said latch bar, said latch member having a shoulder engageable with the lower edge of said latch bar when the latch member is moved in a direction toward said latch bar, a downwardly extending arm carried by said latch member operative to transmit upward forces thereon to said latch member for raising the latter to an uncoupling position, and a channelshaped mounting member having an opening in the intermediate portion thereof and adapted to receive said body and latch member and adapted tobe aligned with the aperture in said body for receiving means for mounting the coupler to a car, the height of the side walls of said mounting member and the distance therebetween being greaterathan the. corresponding dimensions: of the body member whereby the latter, when mounted on -a car, is free to partially pivot, but is relatively fixed longitudinally.

'7. In a miniature railroad car coupler, a coupler body formed to provide a channel-shaped structure, the side Walls of which are extended at one end beyond the connecting web, one side wall extension extending transversely intermediate its ends toward the other side wall extension to form a laterally extending latch bar, the free end of the opposite side wall extension extending laterally outward from substantially the juncture of the latch bar therewith, the connecting web of said member having an aperture therein, a latch member having oppositely disposed side walls, both walls at one end being extended beyond the connecting portion therebetween, the other end of one of said side walls being extended beyond the adjacent end of, the other side wall and terminating at its free end in an inverted hook portion, said latch member being movably positioned in said body with the opposed extended portions of the latch member disposed adjacent said aperture, and the hook portion extending over said latch bar, said latch member having a shoulder engageable with the lower edge of said latch bar when the latch member is moved in a direction toward said latch bar, a downwardly extending arm carried by said latch member operative to transmit upward forces thereon to said latch member for raising the latter to an uncoupling position, and a channel-shaped mounting member having an opening in the intermediate portion thereof and adapted to receive said body and latch member and adapted to be aligned with the aperture in said body for receiving means for mounting the coupler to a car, the height of the side walls of said mounting member and the distance therebetween being greater than the corresponding dimensions of the body member whereby the latter, when mounted on a car, is free to partially pivot, but is relatively fixed longitudinally.

8.,In a miniature railroad car coupler, a coupler body formed to provide a channel-shaped structure, the side walls of which are extended at one end beyond the connecting web, one side wall extension extending transversely intermediate its ends toward the other side wall extension to form a laterally extending latch bar, the free end of the opposite side wall extension extending laterally outward from substantially thejuncture of the latch bar therewith, a latch member having oppositely disposed side walls, both Walls at one end being extended beyond the connecting portion therebetween, the other end of one of said side walls being extended beyond the adjacent end of the other side wall and terminating at its free end in an inverted hook portion, said latch member being movably positioned in said body with the hook portion extending over said latch bar, said latch member having a shoulder engageable with the lower edge of said latch bar when the latch member is moved in a direction toward said latch bar, a downwardly extending arm carried by said latch member operative to transmit upward forces thereon to said latch member for raising the latter to an uncoupling position, and means for mounting the coupler on a car body.

9. In a miniature railroad car coupler, a coupler body formed to provide a channel-shaped structure, the side walls of said body being extended at one end beyond the connecting web 9 portion with one of said side walls being bent to form a laterally extending latch bar positioned between the extended portions of said side walls, a latch member having oppositely disposed side walls extended beyond the connecting web portion, one end of one of the side Walls of said latch member being extended beyond the adjacent end of the other side wall and terminating at its free end in an inverted hook portion adapted to engage the latch bar of a co-operating coupler, said latch member being freely supported in said body with the hook portion thereof extending over said latch bar, and body being adapted to be pivotally secured to the body of the miniature car.

HAROLD L. JOYCE.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS 

